COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT : UCLA Figures That’s More Like It, 81-70 : West Regional: Less than a week after losing in Tucson by 19, Bruins turn back Iowa State. O’Bannon has 20 points.

Perhaps it took a season of mistakes and misfortunes, but UCLA finally played a complete game Friday night.

The Bruins played with passion and purpose, led by Ed O’Bannon’s 20 points and 13 rebounds, and in doing so, defeated Iowa State, 81-70, in the first round of the NCAA West Regional before 13,532 at McKale Center.

On the same floor where they were routed by Arizona last Saturday, 99-80, the Bruins (22-10) advanced to the second round Sunday, where they will face No. 1-seeded Michigan for the right to advance to the Sweet 16 in Seattle.

“You could see it in their eyes all week in practice,” said Lorenzo Romar, UCLA assistant coach.

The Bruins were ready for the NCAA tournament.

“They played great defense,” Romar said. “They were focused.”

The Cyclones (20-11), who tied for second with Oklahoma State in the Big Eight Conference, averaged almost 50% from the floor during the regular season. Against an aggressive Bruin defense, Iowa State shot 36%.

UCLA, which tied Arizona State for third in the Pacific 10 Conference, had not played many games with the concentration it displayed Friday. They had played strong for one half, but rarely for 40 minutes.

“We executed well,” said Jim Harrick, UCLA coach.

UCLA exploited Iowa State’s lack of front-line strength by outrebounding the Cyclones, 37-25. If not for Iowa State’s free-throw shooting (20 of 22), the game would not have been close.

Mitchell Butler, UCLA’s senior swingman, said he was surprised at how easily the Bruins controlled the inside. “I thought they would pressure us a little more, but that wasn’t the case,” he said.

Symbolizing the difference from six days ago was O’Bannon, the Bruins’ 6-foot-8 sophomore forward who had one of his best performances in two months. Against Arizona, O’Bannon scored three points on one-of-11 shooting. He was nine for 10 against Iowa State, including two three-pointers, and also had three blocks.

Displaying the kind of inside game UCLA needs to succeed against Michigan, Richard Petruska, a 6-10 center, also was outstanding. Petruska had 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

Petruska said he was more comfortable with the flow because the officials let the teams play. Prone to get into foul trouble, Petruska had only one against the Cyclones.

“I prefer this kind of game,” he said.

So did his teammates. Tyus Edney, despite stomach cramps, had 19 points, six assists and five rebounds. Butler scored 14 points and Shon Tarver had 11.

Although Tarver was below his team-leading average of 17 per game, Romar praised his defense of Iowa State’s Justus Thigpen, who scored 20 points, but was nine for 20 from the field. Most of his baskets came on breakaway layups.

Although UCLA dominated much of the game, Iowa State stopped the Bruins from turning it into a rout. Trailing 60-47 with 9 minutes 58 seconds left, the Cyclones rallied.

Within about 3 1/2 minutes, UCLA’s lead was cut to 63-61, with 6:21 left. But Edney made two free throws in a one-and-one situation, and O’Bannon made a three-pointer for a 68-60 lead.

“We expected that,” Petruska said. “We saw them do that in other games.”

But the run did not last long. The Cyclones’ game was slowed considerably, and they failed to make their outside shots in a half-court attack.

“I thought their guards would be a little quicker,” Edney said.

Perhaps they were. But when UCLA gives a concerted effort such as Friday’s, opponents are not the same.

But can a strong UCLA effort upend Michigan?

The Bruins, at least, think so.

Said Romar: “I don’t know who will win, but I’m confident we will come out and give a good effort.”

Butler, playing in what could be his final collegiate game, said the Bruins are not intimidated by the Wolverines.

“They don’t instill fear in us,” he said. “They’re just not going to walk in and win.”